The Russian president has said the country’s law banning gay ‘propaganda’ will not cause danger to homosexual competitors or spectators attending the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Vladimir Putin denied gay people were discriminated against in Russia and said one of the main opponents of the law Sir Elton John, was loved by millions in the country ‘regardless of his sexual orientation’.

‘We have recently passed a law prohibiting propaganda, and not of homosexuality only, but of homosexuality and child abuse, child sexual abuse,’ he said in an interview with BBC1’s Andrew Marr.

The Russian president said gay people would be in no danger during the Winter Olympics in Russia (Picture: Reuters)

‘But this is nothing to do with persecuting individuals for their sexual orientation. There’s a world of difference between these things.

‘So there’s no danger for individuals of this non-traditional sexual orientation, who are planning to come to the Games as visitors, or participants.’

Russia has faced international backlash over the law and there have been calls to boycott the forthcoming games in Sochi.

Putin added no-one would be prevented from protesting the controversial legislation during the Winter Olympics.